I think I have discontinuation syndrome and it is so hard.

[Rosco49]

About 3 months ago, I stopped 10 mg Citalopram after a few years and had couple other anti depressants within a 20 year period. I tapered off reasonably well, but had some horrific initial side effects for couple weeks, seemed to come through it and the muscle tightness and twitching etc subsided. The Covid 19 outbreak started and of course this pushed my anxiety up, but was coping okay considering. However the last few weeks have been horrible, sick feeling in gut, tightness in head, crying an awful lot and not in a nice way.

Added to the anxiety is that I don't know if I have some kind of discontinuation syndrome or is it some kind of relapse. I think it is the former as I have some okay moments and only last night felt the fog lifting and slept well, plus I feel it isa kinda of chemical thing, but today was horrible, could barely function, real heavy head, nausceous sick feeling in gut, drove home crying and then let it all come out when I saw my poor Mum, (I hate her seeing me like this).

It doesn't feel likea relapse, more that my brain is trying to adjust to not having it, but my Doctor thinks it may be and has prescribed me Fluoxetine, mwhich I anm scared to take, because of initial side effects and because it may not be right thing. Don't know what to do, so confused and sad, please help.

[kenster1]

hi in the middle of reducing my medication from 45mg to about 11 as i started quartering them this week.its been tough but i will keep going.my twitching isn`t as bad either and that was terrible.more or less the same symptoms as you apart from tummy pain.its up to you but you worked hard coming off the others do you really want to go through that again.

[Rosco49 in reply to kenster1]

Thank you, yes it has been tough in terms of symptoms, but probably the hardest thing has been not knowing if you are doing the right thing. You get to a point where you don't know if you are feeling bad because of the discontinuation, a return of why you may have went on them in first place, even the current sitution around Covid 19 may have pushed my anxiety up, which is what I initially thought. I'm sure it did a bit, but I think now it is more the discontinuation. I feel I am dong better most days now, so there is light and you also will get there. My advice would be to taper as slowly as you can, at least twice as slow as most Doctors would advise and be kind and patient with yourself. Best wishes.